Box



May 13, 1952 Filed April 23, 1948 H. METZG ER 2,596,707

BOX

2 SHEETS-SHEET l 9 6 W L 7 1 /6 /z T 7 94 i 03 F/al 12+ I ii 52 inventor, fie w y L. Ne/zger May 13, 1952 H. L. METZGER BOX 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed April 25, 1948 /7? 1/621 6 or henrg A. Ne/zger y 15 Z02" 6y Patented May 13, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BOX

Henry L. Metzger, Castleton-on-Hudson, N. Y.

Application April 23, 1948, Serial N 0. 22,849

" 6 Claims.

My invention relates to boxes which are formed from blanks cut from flexible sheet material such, for example, as paperboard, and which are adapted to be folded or bent to form the box. It relates particularly, but not exclusively, to boxes of the type which are used as containers for Camembert and other cheeses.

While I have illustrated my invention as applied to a shallow, cylindrical box, it will be obvious that the principal of the invention may be applied to boxes of shapes other than cylindrical.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a box of the general character described, which may be assembled from a minimum number of blanks, and, in which the blanks, when assembled, cooperate to hold each other in boxforming relation. In other words, while certain portions of my box may be stapled or otherwise secured together if desired, one of the objects of my invention is to provide a box of such design that the various parts thereof, when assembled, are interlocked, or held in interengaged, boxfo'rmingrelation to each other by mutual cooperation. Another object is to provide a box of the character described which is much cheaper than the boxes now ordinarily employed for cheese, and which is formed of blanks of paperboard, or the like, which may be shipped flat and the boxes readily formed therefrom at the place where they are to be filled.

I- accomplish these objects by means of the novel elements and the combinations and arrangements thereof described below and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a blank, formed of paperboard or the like and which is adapted to be flexed or bent to form the depending sidewall of the cover of my box;

Fig. 2 is a blank similar to that shown in Fig. 1 but which is adapted to be flexed to form the upstanding side wall of the container portion ofthebox;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the top ofthe cover; Fig.- 4 is a plan view of the bottom of the container;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, perspective View illustrating how the ends of the blank shown in Fig. 1 are fitted together'to form the side wall of the covery Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5showing how the ends of the blank shown in Fig. 1 are locked together to form the side wallof the container;

Y Fig. 7 is a fragmentary, perspective view illus- =t'ratin g how the ends or-the blank-shown in Fig.

2 2 are overlapped in forming the side wall of the container, and how they may be locked together in overlapped relation by overfolding certain portions thereof;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary, plan view looking into the inside of the cover; and

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary, plan view looking into the inside of the container. v

Referring to the drawing and particularly to Fig. 9, my box comprises a cover element represented generally at I and a container element represented generally at 2. The cover element comprises a. top 3 and a depending side Wall 4; and the container comprises a bottom 5 and an upstanding side wall -6.

Referring now, more particularly to Figs. 1 to 8, inclusive, the depending side wall of the cover is formed from the elongated strip 1 of paperboard or the like, shown-in Fig. 1, and having a score 8 extending parallel to and. slightly spaced from the top marginal edge 9 thereof. The marginal portion ID of the strip 1 between the score 8 and the edge 9 is adapted to be inwardly and downwardly folded, as'shown in Figs. 5 and 6, to form an inwardly projecting ledge H, as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 9. At one end, the strip 1 is provided with a. longitudinally extending tongue I2 the bottom edge l3 of which is in alignment with the bottom edge [4 of the strip 1, and is provided with a notch I5 therein. The top edge l6 of the tongue I2 is parallel to the edges 9 and H of the strip 1 but is spaced from the edge 9 a distance substantially equal to twice the width of the marginal portion I0 of the strip 7 between the edge 9 and the score 8. Thus, when the porwhen the strip I is flexed into cylindrical form with the ends overlapped, as shown in Fig. 5, and the tab l1 folded upwardly from the position shownin Fig.5 to the position shown in Fig. 6, the ends of'thei stripwill be locked together by 3 the interengagement of the tab H with the notch l5.

The tab I! is held in upfolded position, as shown in Fig. 6, by means of the disk 3, shown in Fig. 3, which forms the top of the cover. The diameter of the disk 3 is substantially the same as the inside diameter of the depending wall A of the cover which is formed from the strip 1, and the edge thereof is provided with two, circumferentially extending notches l8 and I9 adapted to pass the tongue l2 and the upfolded tab I! when they are in the position shown in Fig. 6. Thus, when the disk 3 is positioned in cover-forming relation with the depending side wall 4, it will lie against the ledge H, be in frictional engagement with the inside of said wall, and will hold the tab I! in upfolded position, as best shown in Fig. 9.

The side wall of the container element of the box is formed from the elongated strip 2| which is quite similar to the strip 1. The strip 2| is provided with a score 22 extending parallel to and adjacent the bottom edge 23 thereof. Thus, the bottom marginal portion 24 of the strip 2| is adapted to be upfolded, as shown in Figs. '1, 8 and 9 to form an inwardly projecting ledge 25 around the inside of the side wall near the bottom thereof. At one end, the strip 2| is provided with a longitudinally extending tongue 26, the upper edge 21 of which is in alignment with the upper edge 28 of the strip, and is provided with a notch 29 therein. The opposite edge of the tongue 25 has a portion 30 thereof substantially in alignment with the score 22 for a distance approximating the width of the notch 29, and a portion 3| which is parallel to the edge 23 and in alignment therewith when the portion 24 is folded over, as best shown in Figs. '7 and 8.

Adjacent the other end, the strip 2| is provided with oppositely disposed, laterally-extending tabs 32 and 33 which are of the same width as the notch 29 and the edge portion 39 of the tongue 26.

The upstanding side wall of the container element is formed by flexing the strip 2| into cylindrical form with the ends thereof overlapped, as best shown in Fig. 7. The tabs 32 and 33 are then in alignment with the notch 29 so that. by upfolding the tab 33' and, downfolding the tab 32 through the notch 29, the ends of the strip will be secured together by the interengagement of these last mentioned parts. It will be apparent from Figs. '7 and 8 that when the tab 33 is upfolded, the edge portion 3| of the tongue 26 will rest upon the top of the ledge 25.

The container element is completed by pushing the bottom into place until the marginal edge thereof rests on the ledge 25, as shown in Fig. 9. The edge of the disk 5 is provided with a notch 34 of a peripheral length substantially equal to the width of the tabs 32 and 33 and of a depth approximately equal to the combined thicknesses of the tab 32 and the tab 33; and with a notch 35 adapted to pass the portion of the tongue 26 betweenthe end thereof and the notch 29.

The diameter of the disk 5 forming the bottom of the container is substantially equal to the inner diameter of the side wall so that when it is pushed into place it is in frictional engagement with the side wall and is supported on the ledge 25. If desired, air vents 36 may be pro vided in the periphery of the disk 5.

When the bottom of the container is pushed v into place it cooperates with the tab 32 to hold it in the position shown in Fig. 8 and thus to hold the ends of the strip 2| in interlocked engagement.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that both the cover and the container of my box may be made without the use of adhesives, staples or other means for securing the various parts thereof in box-forming relation to each other. However, it is to be understood that, if desired, the tab I! might be stapled in the position shown in Fig. 6 and the tab 32 might be stapled in the position shown in Fig. 8.

While I have described my invention in its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the words which I have used are words of description rather than of limitation and that changes, within the purview of the appended claims, may be made without departing from the true scope and spirit of my invention in its broader aspects.

What I claim is:

1. A blank adapted to form the side wall of a box element and comprising an elongated strip of flexible material of a length somewhat in excess of the periphery of said box; said strip having a score therein parallel to an adjacent one of the longitudinally extending edges thereof adapting the marginal portion of said strip between said edge and said score to be overfolded upon the adjacent portion of said strip on the opposite side of said score; said strip, at one end thereof, having a longitudinally extending tongue provided with a notch in one longitudinally extending edge thereof, and, adjacent the other end thereof, said strip having a laterally projecting tab positioned to be overfolded said tongue in interengagement with said notch for holding the ends of said strip together when said strip is flexed into side wall formation.

2. A cylindrical box formed of flexible material and comprising a container having an upstanding side wall, and a cover having a depending side wall adapted to fit over the side wall of said container; the side walls of said container and said cover, respectively, each being formed of a single, elongated strip of said material flexed into cylindrical form with ends thereof overlapped and provided adjacent one end with a marginal notch and adjacent the other end with a tab overfolded the notched end of said strip and engaged within said notch to hold the ends of the strip together; the strip forming the side wall of said cover having infolded portions at the top thereof, and the strip forming the side wall of said container havinfolded portions at the bottom thereof; a disk of said material supported on the infolded portions of the side wall of said container to form the bottom of said container and holding said overfolded tab on said side wall interlocked with said notch therein; and adiskof said material forming the top of said cover held-against the infolded portions of the side wall of said cover by frictional engagement with said side wall and cooperating with the overfolded tab on said side wall to hold said tab in interlocked engagement with the notch in said side wall.

3. A box comprising a cover element and a container element; said cover element comprising a side wall formed from an elongated strip of flexible sheet material having the marginal portion adjacent the upper, longitudinally extending edge thereof downfolded to form an inwardly projecting ledge; said strip, at one end thereof, having a longitudinally extending tongue provided with a notch in one longitudinally extending edge thereof, and, adjacent the other end thereof, said strip having a laterally projecting tab positioned to be overfolded said tongue in inter-engagement with said notch for holding the ends of said strip together when said strip is flexed into side wall formation; and a top having its marginal edge underlying said ledge in frictional engagement with said side wall, and cooperating therewith to hold the interengaging portions of said strip in interlocked relation.

4. The structure defined in claim 3, and further characterized in that said box is cylindrical.

5. A box comprising a cover element and a container element; said container element comprising a side wall formed from an elongated strip of flexible sheet material having the marginal portion adjacent the lower, longitudinally extending edge thereof overfolded to form an inwardly projecting ledge; said strip, at one end thereof, having a longitudinally extending tongue provided with a notch in one longitudinally extending edge thereof, and, adjacent the other end 6 thereof, said strip having a laterally projecting tab positioned to be overfolded said tongue in interengagement with said notch for holding the ends of said strip together when said strip is flexed into side wall formation; and a bottom having its marginal edge supported on said ledge in frictional engagement with said side wall, and cooperating therewith to hold the interengaging portions of said strip in interlocked relation.

6. The structure defined in claim 5, and further characterized in that said box is cylindrical.

HENRY L. METZGER.

REFERENCES CIT-ED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

. UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,117,733 Wheeler Nov. 17, 1914 1,203,990 Dreux Nov. '7, 1916 2,082,614 Brodrick June 1, 1937 

